
By Dr. Honor Young, Deputy Director, SHRN
A Global Gathering for Adolescent Health
The recent HBSC (Health Behaviour in School-aged Children) Conference in Athens brought together 121 delegates from 39 of the 51 member countries and regions. This vibrant event marked only the second time Greece has hosted the conference in the past two decades—making it a particularly special occasion.
Day 1: Setting the Stage

The conference opened with updates from the International Co-ordinating Committee, followed by inspiring keynote addresses. Prof. Oddrun Samdal set the tone, and we heard powerful reflections from João Breda (WHO Athens) and senior officials from the Greek Ministries of Health and Education.
Their messages underscored the critical role of international collaboration in advancing public health.
This collaboration is exemplified by the strategic integration of HBSC within SHRN since 2013, which has significantly improved response rates and expanded the national sample in Wales.
Key Highlights:
- Presentation of eight HBSC trend reports on topics like social inequalities, sexual health, and mental health.
- Sophie Jullien shared the WHO’s renewed strategy for child and adolescent well-being.
- We were particularly thrilled to see Wales receive recognition for its integration of HBSC into the The School Health Research Network (SHRN) – a model for effective monitoring and school-level health planning. Our model, which combines international data with SHRN’s national infrastructure, has been internationally recognised as a best-practice approach for school-level health action planning.
Focus Groups & Country Collaborations
Delegates joined focus groups aligned with their expertise ranging from violence prevention to eating and dieting. Our country cluster (England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and Canada) also met for some lively discussions on school recruitment and data sharing.
Wales was proud to present its approach through our bespoke school reports, digital dashboards, webinars, newsletters, and events. These tools not only support schools but also demonstrate how SHRN uses HBSC data to drive policy-relevant research and improve youth health outcomes.
A Touching Performance
A standout moment was a musical performance by En-Techni Psyhi, a group of mental health service users and community members. Their performance promoted destigmatisation through music; an emotional and memorable experience.

Planning Ahead
In the afternoon, we met with our specialised working groups to plan the next survey round. A proud moment came when Kelly and I were elected as Co-Principal Investigators for Wales; a role we’re honoured to take on. We also bid a heartfelt farewell to Dr. Chris Roberts, whose contributions to HBSC have been invaluable.
Day 2: Deep Dives & Collaboration
Participation in HBSC allows SHRN to contribute to and benefit from global knowledge exchange, ensuring that Wales remains at the forefront of adolescent health research.
The second day encouraged cross-disciplinary dialogue through morning cross-focus group meetings. Later, topic-specific sessions allowed for deeper exploration of key areas.
Development Groups
Post-lunch, we joined development groups tackling such as policy, methodology, chronic conditions, and qualitative validation methods
A Personal Highlight
I had the privilege of chairing a parallel health session featuring outstanding presentations from the Lithuanian, Dutch, and Belgian (Flemish) teams. The day concluded with a warm and lively dinner at a local restaurant—strengthening friendships and future collaborations.
Day 3: Closing Insights & Looking Ahead

The final day took us to the stunning National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, where we wrapped up with discussions on multi-level modelling and data optimisation.
The closing plenary was a fitting end to a truly inspiring event. As we said our goodbyes, the Welsh team left feeling energised and ready for the next chapter.
Final Thoughts

As we continue this work, the SHRN-HBSC partnership remains a cornerstone of our strategy – linking local action with global insight to promote young people’s health and well-being.
The HBSC Conference in Athens was more than just a meeting. It was a powerful reminder of what we can achieve through collaboration, innovation, and shared purpose. As we return to our work in Wales, we’re inspired to keep building on this momentum.
We’re already looking forward to reconnecting at the online meetings in November, and hopefully, attending next year’s conference hosted by the Czech team!
